Biography

Guitarist Zacc Harris is a Twin Cities jazz musician, composer, and instructor. Since moving to Minneapolis in 2005, Harris has become a leading voice in the jazz community, fronting groups such as Atlantis Quartet, Monk In Motian, Vital Organ, and the Zacc Harris Trio and Quartet, and performs regularly at the area's top venues including the Dakota Jazz Club, Artists' Quarter, and more.  He was named to the 2009 Dakota Jazz Club Late Night Allstars Band, and is a first call sub in the Twin Cities.  He has toured nationally and been featured on more than a dozen commercially released albums.

In 2007, Atlantis Quartet put out its debut album which received enthusiastic reviews locally and nationally, from publications like Jazz Improv Magazine, which refers to the groups as "Highly skilled musicians who have invested themselves heavily to develop their individual approaches...together, they sound genuinely inspired." The review goes on to say "Guitarist Zacc Harris delivers a sound that is lucid, clear...providing rich-sounding accompaniment and well-crafted solos." In the April 2009 issue of The Villager, writer Bill Stieger wrote, "You can hear [Wes] Montgomery's influence in Harris' playing.  He has the flowing lines, the mellow tones, the feel for the blues and the articulation needed to play that [bop] style."  In July 2009, Harris released an album with long time trio collaborators Matt Peterson and Pete Hennig.  Andrea Canter of Jazz Police said of the album, "It's the little things - the sudden halts, the unexpected shifts in rhythm and mood - that give both the original tunes and standards a wash of originality, that demand more attention than might be expected."  Harris intends to release two new records in 2009, a debut effort from the funky b3 group Vital Organ, and a followup album from Atlantis Quartet.

Before moving to Minneapolis, Zacc Harris lived in Illinois, where he earned a BA in Music from Southern Illinois University, and spent eight years performing and honing his chops in a multitude of bands and genres including rock, funk, folk, bluegrass, r&b, gospel, and of course jazz. Harris founded the group Caravan and performed with renowned jazz group Mercy, whose roster had included such legendary players as Darryl Jones. Harris also performed with the wildly popular bluegrass/rock/jazz fusion act Broken Grass.

Harris was born in Long Beach, CA in 1978 and moved to Charlottesville, VA years later. He began playing guitar at the age of 16, inspired by the joyous effect of music on people. After high school, he set out to explore the country from coast to coast, his travels eventually leading him to the midwest. Harris now resides in Minneapolis, MN, and in addition to performing as both a leader and sideman, is a prolific and respected instructor of music and guitar.